150-year-old tree cut down in Dexter

Friday, June 27, 2008

DEXTER, Mo. -- A 150-year-old red oak came down with a crash Wednesday morning in Dexter's West City Park, the Daily Statesman reported. Although the tree appeared healthy, it was decided to cut it down for safety reasons. "The tree has begun to lean toward the playground equipment at the park, which of course presents a dangerous situation and so we elected to go ahead and take it out," Dexter City Park director Lawson Metcalf said. "It's a shame to lose such a huge, beautiful tree," Metcalf said, "but it served its purpose well and it was time for it to come down." Much of the debris from the tree will be chipped and the large limbs, Metcalf said, will be burned, since they are too large even to cut for firewood.

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